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Just a note on the story in multiple newspapers this morning about the 6% rise in hourly earnings year over year. I can’t find the source of this data. Statistics Canada estimates released yesterday show the July 2009 data but that doesn’t mean the journalist might have accessed another source.

In this report, average weekly wages are up only 2% year over year for New Brunswick. And when you drill into the data you see some specific trends. For example, public sectors – education, health care and public administration are all up well above the overall average growth rate. Construction wages, also heavily influenced by public spending, are up 8%. Manufacturing and a number of other key sectors are witnessing a drop in average wages. Not sure why Administrative and Support wages are up – but much of the call centre sector is in that group.

Seasonally adjusted estimates of average weekly earnings, for all employees, for selected industries New Brunswick (July 2009 compared to July 2008)

Educational services – 61

11.6%

Administrative and support- 56

10.1%

Construction – 23

8.0%

Professional, scientific and technical services – 54

7.9%

Information and cultural industries – 51

5.5%

Public administration – 91

5.3%

Health care and social assistance – 62

5.0%

Service producing industries – 41-91N

2.4%

Industrial aggregate excluding unclassified businesses – 11-91N

2.0%

Wholesale trade – 41

1.9%

Goods producing industries – 11-33N

1.3%

Trade – 41-45N

-0.1%

Accommodation and food services – 72

-0.4%

Durable goods – 321N

-1.0%

Retail trade – 44-45

-1.4%

Arts, entertainment and recreation – 71

-2.7%

Transportation and warehousing – 48-49

-3.3%

Manufacturing – 31-33

-3.7%

Other services (except public administration) – 81

-4.9%

Non-durable goods – 311N

-5.8%

Finance and insurance – 52

-7.7%

According to the same report, released yesterday, average hourly earnings including overtime actually dropped from July 2008 to July 2009 from $18.17 to $17.83. Now maybe the journalist has a source I haven’t been able to find. If anyone knows Greg Weston, maybe you could ask him to send over his source.